Icy In-between
by EchoEternal
Summary: Three years passed between the time of their parents' death and the events of the movie. So what happened with Anna and Elsa before Frozen? Follow the sisters as they try to cope with one another.
1. The Dream

Author: This is a little story about Anna and Elsa's time adjusting after their parents' deaths, as well as living together with their distant relationship. (The 3 year period in between.) It's going to start off a bit with Anna's perspective, but it'll jump over to Elsa's as well. (Not every other chapter, so after this first one, I'll make it clear as to who's telling the story.)

Also, I'm guessing the gaps were filled in at some point by Disney, or that this was probably written about by someone else, but I haven't sifted through enough stories to find it yet, so...yeah. Here's my take:

* * *

A shiver creeps down my spine. It's cold, out here in the forest.

I'm young again, enjoying the snowy winter morning. Laughter erupts from me as I wander past the frosted trees, trying to hit some of the snow off the branches and giggling whether I can or can't. Flopping back on a snow bank, I look up at the cloudy sky. It stopped snowing for a bit, but it'll pick back up soon.

Taking a second, I glance over at the castle. Mom and Dad are busy with official meetings and other royal business. I can't remember much of it; I am young here, so I shouldn't be surprised.

But a jolt of shock flows through me once a pile of snow is poured over my face.

With a squeal, I bounce up and quickly try swiping off the fluffy white mess. Cold. Some of it got down my green coat. So cold. I brush the last bit from my hair and eyes. Very cold.

At the sound of her laughter, I look forward and see my sister. Her blue coat looks perfect, almost untouched by the snow. Her bright blonde hair is nicely kept and she has the brightest smile on. A wooden sled sits behind her.

"Elsa!" I hear myself call out. I think I tried to be pouty or mad, but I'm giggling too much. I loved playing in the snow back then.

"Come on," she says between her laughs. Even back then, Elsa was such a stinker! "Anna, let's go for a sleigh ride. There's a little hill past the trees."

We walk over to the hill and she pushes me down. I can almost feel the speed of the ride and the wind whipping my face. Laughter erupts from me as I speed down and rocket off.

As soon as the sled stopped and Elsa came over, I would cry out, "Again! Again!"

Suddenly, we're skating. I don't remember what happened in between, but we're having a wonderful time now too. I still haven't quite got my balance yet, but my sister stays close and makes sure to catch me whenever I fall.

We slide over to a bank and rest for a bit. Elsa takes off her skates and looks to me again.

"Come on; let's go build a snowman!"

And then we do. He's a cute little guy, just three snow piles tall. The shape is a little crude, maybe, but pretty good for a few kids on their own. Once we're done, Elsa pulls me over and we hug, proud of our work. We dub the snowman Olaf and laugh.

We play some more, throwing snow around, here and there. Elsa whips it out left and right, almost like magic. She's quick to scoop it up, I guess. It's not something I dwell on, bouncing around.

"Catch me!"

I'm jumping from snow mound to mound. Each one gets higher and higher.

"Wait!"

Elsa is trying to keep up with me. Or I'm pretty sure she is. I'm not paying attention.

"Slow down!" Elsa calls out, but I'm still not listening. I jump from the highest mound yet.

"Anna!" Some snow hits me, hard, and I fall.

* * *

"Princess Anna!"

From my servant's call, I snap awake, head against a soft pillow. I pop up from it, my hair a complete mess. "Yes?"

"Princess Anna, breakfast is ready." I rub my eyes and let out a yawn. There's part of me that wants to puzzle over my dream, but it's become a blur now. Oh well. Time to start the day!

* * *

Author: There's Chapter 1. It's going to take at least one more chapter and some spare change to get everything rolling. I'm not planning on too long of a story, but I figure it'll be interesting to look over the girls' relationship while coping with new responsibilities, developing ice powers, and mourning their parents.

But that's all for now, so let me know what you think and any suggestions you have! Thank you for reading!


	2. Morning with Anna

Author: Ok, here's Chapter 2. It's still a little set-up for what comes up next. Enjoy!

* * *

Today's the first day that we've been without mom and dad. They're away on their trip. I'm sure they'll have loads to tell us when they get back! I just hope they'll actually tell Elsa and me…sorry, Elsa and I, about it.

Elsa and I. Together.

My heart skips a beat at that thought and I have to get out of bed to shake off weird feelings. We haven't been together since we were little. The two of us shared everything, from our room and toys to our adventures and secrets.

We used to be so close. With all of my heart, I wish we could be again.

But for some reason, we can't. Something had to have happened, but I'm not sure what. One day, my parents wanted her to have her own bedroom and we've been separated since. Sure, we still see each other, every so often. It's usually what I call my "Accidental Elsa Encounter," where I see her and wave, but then she looks away and practically runs off.

"And there I go again, letting my thoughts possess me. Oh well!"

I laugh as I change from my nightgown to a nice green dress. It's a different design from my usual clothes, with just some flowers decorating the lower half and simply green at the top.

"Nice and simple. If I want to go out later, I'll look fine. If not, well, it's never bad to look good at home too! …Though I would prefer something lazier."

Giggling, I slip on a pair of matching shoes and rush out the door. A glance out the window shows me that it's a little dark out; we've had a few bad storms lately, but I was hoping they would have ended by now. I stop and let my head drop, then walk back inside and burst out laughing.

"My hair! I completely forgot about it!"

Even if I'm not going out, I can't forget to fix myself up a bit! I race over to the mirror, grab my hairbrush, and quickly comb it through my hair. Faster, faster! Too quick, OUCH! Gently now, slow it down. Ok. Pulling it back, I roll it into a bun. Tighten it a bit…there we go! All right, it's a little cruder than I meant to be, but anyone gets the idea.

Ok, ok! Now I'm really getting hungry. I run back out the door and nearly slam it into Gerda. She fumbles around a bit with some clothes she's carrying. Ooh, I hope they're not mine. That would make me feel worse.

"Gerda! I'm so sorry!" I cry out and move to help her balance the clothes. She's got it under control just as I move my arms out to help her up.

"That's quite all right, princess," she sweetly replies. I really don't get how she didn't go berserk on me. I mean, I do, because then she'd get into trouble and that's completely the opposite of what I'd want, because she's really great and I'm going off again. She begins to walk into my room, but speaks while she goes. "Breakfast is ready. Just wait a few minutes before going. I hear your sister is still in there."

Elsa? She's out? At the same time as me? That almost never happens anymore.

Then it's settled! I'm catching her this time! She can't keep hiding away from me forever! And it's probably Mom and Dad making sure that their little princess is ready to take control of her own throne some day, but that's besides the point! They're not here right now. I am! And like it or not, Elsa is going to spend some quality time with her little sister!

And…off I go! Laughing to myself, I'm speeding down the halls, running as if I'm racing the birds for breakfast. She has to still be there. I'm going to catch her and I'm going to spend some time with her, whether my parents like it or not! It's not like they can order guards to be posted all around her at all times and keep me from seeing her!

Suddenly, I skid to a halt. No, they don't have anyone around Elsa. But they'll keep the gap between us for sure. Which means…they'll be waiting for me. Guards, servants, or who knows? There's no way that I can get to her by just running to catch her.

Unless I'm careful about it. Looking up, I notice that I'm near the dining room.

Sucking in my breath, I try to move as quietly as possible. If I just manage to not be seen by anyone, I can make it. All I have to do…is be completely invisible. No problem. I've got this in spades. I…I really wish I was more dainty right now. Elsa can be pretty good at it, but I'm a little clumsier.

So…close. Almost…there…

My nose tickles and I have to let a huge breath out. I hear a light gasp.

"Anna?" It's so soft, I almost miss it. But it's her! It's actually her!

"Elsa!" I cheer and turn the corner. My smile is spread wide across my face and I look to see her about to move out the other way. "Elsa, wait! Please wait!"

She turns heel and her dark blue dress whips around with her bright blonde hair. It glides nicely let out like that, without a braid. "Anna, please, I'm much too busy today."

"Come on, Elsa!" I whine. "Mom and Dad are going to be away for a little while longer! Just once, can't we spend time together? They're not here to keep us apart!"

"They don't do that," she defends. "They're just trying to make sure that I know—"

"What, how to avoid me?" I interrupt. I don't want to hear excuses. "Elsa, please. Just a few minutes?"

She opens her mouth to say something and raises a white-gloved hand, but she can't get the words out. Looking at her carefully, she seems perplexed, and if I follow her eyes, they're…going past me? Wait, what?

I whirl around, looking over at Kai. He's wearing a forest green coat that looks completely soaked. No, his brown pants are too. And his black buckled shoes. He's still dripping from all of the rain. Was he outside for long? His face looks wet too, but he should have had an umbrella. He looks up at us with an expression that couldn't be more…hurt. Hurt? Why hurt? No, that's too simple, he looks…devastated. Why?

"Princess Elsa, Princess Anna…I'm afraid I have some grave news."

* * *

Author: Wow. That got heavy fast. And just when Anna caught Elsa too. It was so close to being a good day.

I figured that the King and Queen of Arendelle would have died early in their trip, which would cause more issues for the girls, since they wouldn't even have had a chance to bond with their parents away.

Next chapter, we'll see how the girls react a bit. And maybe we'll get to see a certain someone "do the magic" again. Send me a comment and let me know what you think! Until next time!


	3. Mourning with Elsa

Author: Moving on to Chapter 3, it's Elsa time to shine. Enjoy!

* * *

Anna sat outside my door, begging me to build a snowman. It's about the hundredth time she's asked, but today she broke into tears. So did I. It really pains me that I can't even talk to her about everything.

Our parents' funerals were today. The entire kingdom attended…except for me. It tore me apart, not being able to give them one last goodbye. And after it all, I still couldn't even comfort my little sister. Honestly, what kind of older sibling just leaves their younger sister, or brother, to deal with that kind of trauma?

"It's all because of this…this stupid curse!" I practically sob out loud again, but I contain it.

She walked away over an hour ago, but I've sat here, huddled on the floor, against the door. I hate being shuttered in, but there's nothing I can do. My ice…magic…is unstable. Even after years of practice, I'm still not in control. And having this kind of power, this force that surges inside of me, is too much to handle.

Naturally, it's not safe to take around anyone else. There were days that I couldn't even hug my own parents without being afraid of accidentally freezing them. I've already hurt Anna years ago, when we were just kids. If that ever happened again, I would fall apart.

Slowly, I picked my head up, wiping away my tears. My white and blue bedroom has been frosted over, covered with ice and snow at every angle. Whips of flakes floated across the room. I look back down at my bare hands. Light blue flakes sparkle from them. Frustrated, I throw them down, causing ice to pile up around the door.

"No," I gasp. "Not again!"

Originally, the ice only came from my body; as long as I wore clothing, it could be prevented. My parents helped me practice channeling it, so I could send it past any blockades and emit it when necessary.

Walking over to my desk, I slipped the gloves back on. Then, I threw out my hands and waved them about. Nothing. Good.

Glancing down, I picked up my foot and moved it forward. Swallowing hard, I stomped, watching a snowflake shape spiral from my shoe across the floor.

"Still happening," I sighed. Sinking back to my knees, I cast the gloves off. My hands drop to the floor and snow piles around them. "Why does this keep happening? Why can't this all just go away? I hate this!" Tears settled back into my eyes as I cry out again. "I'd give anything to not have these. Can't I just trade my powers for my parents back?" It's a silly wish, and I know nothing will bring them back, but I just ask anyway, hoping for someone to just call to me and say yes.

The door knocks. "Elsa?" came the muffled voice of Gerda. "Do you need anything, dear?"

"No," I called out quickly. Calm yourself. Conceal. "No, thank you, Gerda. I'll be all right. You may go."

"Yes, your majesty. We're all here for you if there's anything you need." I hear her walk away down the hall and clutch my stomach. She didn't mean to, but those words felt like a punch to my stomach. More than anything, I want to tell someone about this, about me.

But I can't. For my kingdom's safety, I won't.

And then it hits me: my kingdom. In just three years, I'll be old enough to become the Queen of Arendelle. I'll need to work on filling my parents' shoes and study on becoming the kingdom's leader.

"How can I possibly control a kingdom when I can't even control myself?" I desolately whispered.

If I didn't want my parents back badly enough before, it was now that I wanted them back more than anything. Tears cascaded from my eyes once again. Annoyed with myself, I hastily wiped them away, and then flicked my hands. Ice fired out and stacked up my wall. Clenching my teeth, I'm on the verge of an outburst when an idea hits me.

Turning, I face the wall. Taking a glance at my dresser, I studied it carefully. It's about quarter from my height, with about four drawers. The handles are horizontal, with diamond shaped designs engraved behind them. I move around to get a look at its side, not very wide. The legs are stubby, but sturdy. Nodding, I back away again and close my mind. Visualizing the dresser, I move my hands about, and I open my eyes as the ice begins to flow at my dancing fingertips.

It's a bit crude, with just a few details missing on the handles and where the woodwork would be, but in seconds, I've made a great duplicate. A smile creeps onto my face.

"I've done it. I've made something." Then the excitement hits me. "I actually did it!"

And suddenly, I'm racing around the room, looking for the smaller objects and space that I can craft my ice copies in. Within a half hour, I've copied more than half of my room, with my frozen replicas improving after each object.

Excitedly, I move to make another duplicate when I stare at a family picture. Stopping, my hand glided over it, brushing younger versions of Anna and myself. I trace it upward, looking into the portrait's variants of my parents' eyes.

A drew in a heavy breath and slowly exhaled. Turning back to the center of the room, I close my eyes. Visualizing them, down to every detail. Her darker hair, neatly tied up. Then, his light mustache that was tucked between his nose and lip. Mom's elegant dress, with the flowers embroidered on the bottom. Dad's uniform, well decorated with each royal honor. His focused eyes. Her beautiful smile.

When I'm finished I open my eyes, with glassy vision. I'm sick of crying, but it won't stop coming. Not today, not yet. Clearing my sight, I look and in front of me stand two life sized ice sculptures. My parents. Now I leave the tears to slide down my cheeks, my lips trembling. This is the first time in a while that I've seen the good in what I can do. It's too rare that it happens.

* * *

Author: Poor Elsa, alone with her ice powers. It's a gift and a curse at the same time.

An issue that people tend to point out is Elsa's sudden development and upgrade of her skill and control over her ice powers, especially in the song, "Let It Go," where she can design her own dress and build her own ice castle. I'm not sure if there's any official explanation behind it, but I decided to try addressing it myself. And seeing the "ice bedroom" after "Do You Want to Build a Snowman?" made me want to slide it in right after that song.

It seems like a good fit, having Elsa still struggle to build her abilities and dealing with the emotional stress of her parents dying, leaving her sister isolated, learning more of what she can do, and realizing that she's the next in line for the throne. And with building snowmen on her mind, crafting ice sculptures appeared as a fun alternative.

Anna barely appeared in this chapter, so we'll get more of her again next time. If you have any comments or criticisms, send them my way with a review or message. Thank you again for reading!


	4. Empty Halls

Author: Chapter 4 has arrived. We're back to Anna for this chapter. Enjoy!

* * *

It's been two months since Mama and Papa passed away and winter is on its last month. While the castle is making progress at getting back to what everyone's used to, we're still going to take some more time before really recovering.

One of the big changes is that we've become even more shut in. Our staff has taken another dip, and we've decreased how many people actually work here, not just for the kingdom. The people of Arendelle haven't seen any of us since the last month passed; no one has complained yet, but I wonder what they might be thinking.

Sliding into a plain pink dress, I step out of my room. It's later in the morning and the halls are quiet and empty. With a sigh, I make my way down the hall, noting each closed door. Along with the windows, it seems like nothing is open anymore.

About seven doors down, I come across Elsa's room. Her door's designs are really lovely, decorated in various shades of blue. If I look carefully enough, I can find small heart, flower, and snowflake designs adorning it.

Memories buzz through my head, from when we were younger and played together so often. A smile curls onto my face and I raise my hand to knock, but then pause just before my fist raps against the wood.

"Elsa…" I let out, in spite of knowing better. "Are you in there?" Unsurprisingly, I get no answer. In an instant, I can feel my smile drop.

With another sigh, I turn away and continue to drag myself along. Down the hall, I see a door slowly open and a dark-cloaked Gerda walks in, carrying a small basket with a light blue cloth over it. Forcing a pearly smile, I wave and hurry over to her. She's frowning, but I feel like it's because I saw her rather than…the obvious reason.

"Hello Gerda," I chirp, keeping up my happy demeanor. "How are you?"

"Good morning, Princess Anna," is her nonchalant reply. "I'm fine, thank you."

Pointing to the basket, I have to question it, "Is that for Elsa?"

"Yes," comes the empty reply.

"Do you need me to—?"

"No, thank you, Princess," she hastily answers me, before I can even think of what I was going to say. Nodding, I step aside and watch her travel down the hall, entering the room nearest Elsa's. Part of me debates leaving now, but I decide to wait.

Looking to the closest window, I peek outside to the courtyard. Elsa is out there, in a dark purple coat, reading. How she can stand the temperature is beyond me. And there's still snow and ice all around, so she really shouldn't be out there.

"Princess Anna?" My head jerks up and I spin about to face Gerda, who is walking back over to me. "Is everything all right?"

"Oh, yes," I lie. "It's just…why is Elsa outside?"

"Is that where she is?" Gerda asks, and I'm surprised that she doesn't know what my sister is up to either. "I was told that she needed to practice for her coronation in a few years." She glances out the same window and nods. "Ah, that's her. Once Elsa is of the proper age to inherit the throne, she'll be more than prepared. She's a sharp one, your sister."

"Yep, she sure is super," I agree with a little cheer, but my smiled lips hide my clenched teeth.

Gerda put a small grin of her own on. "I'm sure your parents would be so proud of her. You're both so wonderful. Oh, do excuse me, princess; I must continue my work." And then she strolls right past me, wiping away a small tear and shutting the door behind her.

Blinking, I look back out the window. Elsa's gone, with just a mound of snow around where she sat. Backing up, I take a deep breath in and slowly exhale.

That's how I feel like my life has been. Everyone notices my perfect older sister, Elsa. They see that she's smart, pretty, mysterious, graceful, and all around flawless. What no one notices is that she's so shut in, reclusive from the rest of the world. Hiding from even me.

Yet, somehow, she's always seemed so much more important. My parents always fussed over Elsa, keeping her away from me, and catering to her, as they needed, perfecting their first born, their heir.

No one really explained to me that I would just be a spare.

My parents told me that I was more, but some days, I just couldn't believe them. And now that they're gone, I can't help but wonder: were they just lying to make me feel better? Has the entire kingdom known about Elsa's brilliance, and would her importance always outshine me?

Did…my parents love me as much as they did her?

No, no, that's crazy. Of course they did. Glancing a couple of doors down to what used to be their bedroom, I feel myself suck in air. They must have loved me as much, right? They couldn't give everything to just one sister, right?

Elsa may seem perfect, but she can't even find time to see me now that they're gone. She might not be as flawed as me, but there are a few holes in her majesty.

A gasp escapes me. My eyes shift around the hall, as if someone new will walk in. No one does, of course. Still, I feel guilty for that thought, and for trying so hard to compare myself to my sister.

We're not enemies. She's not evil. Sisters may not see eye to eye often, but we should still love each other. Even if it has been years, Elsa and I used to be so very close, before she shut me out.

The truth is that I really want that back. I want my sister to pull me outside and help her become the queen, to just talk to me, and to watch the snow as it falls.

I just want her to notice me again, or at least to open a door.

Shaking my head, I turn back and exit the hall, making my way to the ballroom. Quietly, I step inside, imaging people all around me. _My eyes close and I step around, picturing myself meeting different people from far away places. They share the stories of the world and I could listen for hours._

_"Please, do go on."_

_Eventually, a man asks me to dance and we step to the middle of the room. Carefully, we flow about our bodies moving swiftly and elegantly to the music. And I open my eyes, spiraling about the room on my own._

_"You don't need me," the imaginary man would say._

_I would disagree, "Oh, but I do. Please show me more." He would, but it's late, and he needs to leave. Pouting a bit, he makes me giggle and bids me a farewell, giving me all the time in the world to say goodbye and take in our last moments._

_Why can't that be real? My eyes wander to the door again, where he would slowly trudge out, wishing to stay. And then out the door he would…_wait. Purple coattail?

Running over to the door, I stumble and fall. Pushing myself off from the floor, I take it in stride and leave the ballroom, looking around.

For a minute, I almost could have sworn she was there.

* * *

Author: And that was Anna's shout out to younger siblings that feel inadequate under their older siblings' spotlight.

The royal sisters of Arendelle are great when they love and look out for each other, but I wanted to put a little realistic check on that. Elsa's poised to be queen and Anna just rolls with it? There has to be some mixed feelings in there. Maybe a little jealousy, but probably more of a little isolation. Feeling like a spare is part of that territory.

More importantly, I wanted to get Anna questioning her parents' love for her. And in her case, it's pretty fair: we saw the king and queen spent an awful lot of time helping Elsa, but their moments with Anna are scarce. Taking the film at face value, I'd like to think that Anna sometimes felt her parents may have favored their first born over her, regardless of whether it's true or not. Coupling it with her lack of attention from Elsa, it's easier to understand why Anna would sing about trying to change her "lonely world" at the end of "For the First Time in Forever," especially with so many closed doors.

That's all for this one. Next time, maybe we'll see the other side of the coin: does Elsa feel any jealousy or resentment toward Anna? Is there something her younger sister doesn't quite get? Perhaps. Anyway, if you'd like, send your comments and criticisms to me. Thank you once again for your continued reading!


	5. Late Night Retreat

Author: Here's Chapter 5, shooting back to Elsa for a bit. Enjoy!

* * *

The sun slowly sets and the moon rises shortly thereafter; as Anna returns from a day out in the garden, I keep my distance and wait for her to journey to another room. After she makes her way to the kitchen, I quickly stroll outside.

Last month, she caught sight of me as I went to watch her dance in the ballroom. The sound of her voice and laughter was too much to ignore. By doing so, though, I let my guard down and she almost caught me.

Being her older sister, I should have just talked to her, let her in, but I'm a threat. We can't be anywhere near one another. For some reason, Anna thinks that she's meant to stay even closer to me because of that, rarely going outside the castle walls herself.

Looking up, I nearly walk into them myself. The walls. Do I really want to do this? If I'm caught…who knows what could happen? Looking back to the dim lighting in the castle, I sigh. No one quiet knows that I'm running out on my own; they think I'm still quietly studying in my room. But it's stifling to stay here at all times.

Finding a hole, I slip past the walls. "That's definitely going to need a fix," I echo my thoughts as I leave the castle grounds and move quietly, yet quickly, along the outskirts of Arendelle. Luckily for me, there aren't many people around.

However, a child with wandering eyes seems to notice me. "Mama, what's that big purple monster?!" Running, I slide behind a wall. Monster? It isn't possible for him to…of course. I have a cowl and cloak over me.

"Monster? …I don't see anything, darling," comes his mother's voice.

"It's right behind that house!" the boy cries. "Come on!"

As I hear their footsteps come closer, I look around, slipping off my gloves. Raising my hand, I pause, and let it drop. Winter is over; if they see any snow or ice, they'll become suspicious. And if anyone catches a glimpse of me, they'll recognize the royal attire immediately. If only there were a way to change my clothes, I could…

My hands suddenly fill with my magic and I gasp, pulling the hood tighter over my head. There's a light blue mist that surrounds the hood and I feel a slush of snow dampen and loosen my hair, knocking it out of the bun I had set it in.

"Here, mom!" the boy's shout comes from in front of me. Hastily, I shove my hands back into the gloves.

"Goodness! That's no monster!" the woman scolds her child. "It's just a person in a long blue coat." Blue? I push the cowl up a bit and my hair slips down further. "Forgive my son, miss. He…has a bit of an imagination." I can only nod. Stay calm.

"I wasn't imagining anything! I saw something purple, not this lady!" He protests, but his mother hushes him. Keep it together.

"Again, forgive us, miss," the woman pleads an apology from me, bidding her son to do the same.

Coughing, I try to lower my voice. "It's fine," I mutter in a voice that reminds me of how I used to play with Anna when we were young. "Better be on my way off. Getting late."

The woman raises an eyebrow. "Oh, yes," she comments, sounding suspicious of me, but then clears her throat. "It is quite late. We'll be on our way. Come along!" Waving and tugging her son along, the two walk back around the house, away from me. Letting out a breath I didn't know I held in, I quickly take off, running off.

A little ways behind Arendelle, there's a lovely waterfall, outside of a small cave and on a cliff that overlooks the castle. Making my way there, I throw off my cloak and look it over. It is blue, but now features quick, glittering swirls, instead of the crocus embroidered on the purple clothes I wore before. Slipping off a glove, I walk to the cave wall and freeze part of it in a small circle. Looking into my custom mirror, I can't recognize myself as quickly, with too many strands of hair covering my face, and long locks let loose in the back.

Wringing it and pushing it back myself, I can feel how cold and soaked it is. "Ugh, this is a disaster. Anna never has to deal with this." Flipping my hair back, I stop.

She doesn't deal with this. "Anna has never dealt with so much responsibility in her life!" Her room is always messier than mine; even now, sometimes I'll peek in when she's not around and forgets to lock the door, and there are clothes scattered, sheets left unmade, and someone else needs to pick up after her. No, Anna gets to be more carefree, hapless to the issues that anyone else would need to deal with. "She doesn't have to keep herself hidden running around Arendelle. Anna doesn't have to prepare herself to become the Queen and hold responsibility over not just castle, but every inch of the kingdom and everyone in it. She never had to deal with our parents constantly watching her, making sure that she didn't freeze the entire castle whenever she just wanted to look out a window!"

The crackling sound of ice forming breaks me out of my thoughts. Gasping, I look around the cave; frost formed around it and the waterfall is frozen in place. Sighing, I slip my gloves back on. "Conceal it, don't feel it." Even as the words mindless tumble from my lips, I hate myself using them. I understand the dangers, the risks. And I understand how important it is for me to not let my emotions run rampart, or else I'll…I'll…hurt someone.

Shaking my head, I move away from the cave, walking to the cliff. Looking out, I can view a good portion of Arendelle, looking over my castle and the village outside. It's a lovely view, and I wish I could just stay here. If I were away from everyone, away from everything, I could just take my gloves off and just…let it go.

But I can't. Not while the kingdom needs a queen. And I can't just leave Anna alone, not while she's still with me. That's why I need to figure out how to control these powers, this magic. If I can get myself together, I can take over for my parents like I'm meant to. And with control, I'd be able to protect the kingdom from any potential threats. Or even if it's just to cool people off during the summer, or fix up the town a bit, that could work just as well.

Either way, everyone is counting on me to be prepared. Arendelle needs a leader, even if it has to be me. I'm not going to burden my little sister with this. All I have to do is keep at it and eventually everything will work out.

Glancing at the waterfall, it's already thawing, with water trickling down from cracks in the ice. Turning over to the cave, it's still coated in frost, but they should be back to normal by the morning. Hardly anyone comes up here anyway; this is just a quiet space that my family used to visit from time to time. Here, we could spend a few hours together, find some time to think. And now that I'm thinking about it, the higher elevation always helped me clear my head and breath better.

Looking back, I gaze past the waterfall and look to North Mountain. That might be a place to visit some time; maybe a trip to the top would do me some good. Taking in a deep breath and exhaling, I begin to walk back down to the castle. There's still a hole in the wall that needs to be fixed up.

* * *

Author: There's Elsa defending the older siblings that keep taking the heat.

To counterbalance Anna's feelings of inadequacy, I wanted to have Elsa get overloaded with feeling responsible, hence her need to get out for the night. At the end of "Love is an Open Door," there was a nice place where Hans proposes to Anna, which I thought could be sort of referenced a little sooner, but with Elsa. Following how they're portrayed, Anna does seem more carefree, while Elsa's clearly more uptight, possibly envious of her younger sister's freedom. However, I still wanted to keep Elsa acting defensive for Anna, trying to make sure that her younger sister doesn't have to deal with the stresses Elsa now faces.

Noticing her lack of it in the movie, I wanted a moment where Elsa does two things: one, interacts with the people of Arendelle, before they see the Queen for her coronation ceremony; and two, to have Elsa express her frustration of having her parents hovering over her, which they probably did a lot of, especially after she hurt Anna. Surprisingly, the queen-to-be can still pull herself together, in spite of, well, herself. Plus, this gave a nice chance to have Elsa learn how to freeze her clothes into something new, use a goofy voice in front of other people, and begin to make her plans for the "Let It Go" sequence that comes up in the movie, or at least, show where/how she got the inspiration that barely jolted into her head while on the run.

Coming up, there might be a bit of time for the sisters to interact with one another. Sure, they don't open up until the events of the movie, but they couldn't live 3 full years completely apart, right? We'll see how that goes. Until then, send me a review or message; both comments and criticisms are welcome. I see a lot of views pop up, so there must be a lot of Frozen readers out there. Super cool! (Pun not intended.) Thank you again for reading and I hope it's good so far!


	6. Chases and Doors

Author: Time for Chapter 6, once again in Elsa's perspective. Enjoy!

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Summer is finally approaching Arendelle, with most of the citizens moving outdoors more frequently and staying out later than usual. As such, I've taken to staying in the castle almost indefinitely, even later in the night when I used to go out. At first, it did strike the servants as unusual, since I used to walk outside every odd day or another.

"Is everything all right, your highness?" Kai asked me at first.

"Yes," I would lie. "I'm just trying to really practice my steps to becoming queen."

There were a few more moments of the staff questioning me, but after a few days, they all learned that I was just working harder at my studies, which everyone understood as normal for me. After all, who would suspect anything out of the ordinary, like their queen-to-be hiding some type of ice powers that could terrify the entire kingdom?

Meanwhile, just a few months back, a young boy almost figured all of that out by a complete accident.

With a sigh, I make my way to the kitchen for dinner. When I arrive, however, I see that Anna is already there and eating. Gerda, carrying a plate away, notices me and realizes that she made a mistake; my orders were specific that we were never meant to dine, or be served anything, together at the same time.

"Elf-sha?!" Anna cries out while chewing down her dinner.

"Your majesty," starts Gerda, but just by her expression, I can tell she has no idea what to say or do next.

Shaking my head, I walk backwards to the hall. "I've suddenly lost my appetite, Gerda. Thank you."

And with that, I try to run back to my room. With the scraping slide and bang of a fallen chair, along with Gerda's "Your majesty!" cry, I don't need to look back to realize that Anna is charging after me. Turning and rushing upstairs, I'm running out of breath while she thunders after me.

"Elsa!" Anna shouts while she chases me. "Elsa, wait!"

Panting as I reach the top, I look up to see the hall to our bedrooms. "Just a little further," I tell myself.

Anna is practically right behind me as I catch a second wind and sprint off for my room. All I hear as I turn the corner is a shout, "Elsa!" Making another turn, I come up to my comforting white and blue door.

"Finally," is all I can manage as I slide into my bedroom and shut the door behind me. Breathing in and exhaling heavily, I push myself from the door and move to my bed.

The banging on my door comes much too quickly for my tastes. "Elsa, please! Open the door!" She's desperate and I can guess why, but I can't give in. I need to keep her safe, and that door helps.

"Anna, I'm busy," I call out. "I've got more important things to study and—"

"And you can't eat for a minute and spend some time with me?!" she retaliates. "Elsa just open your door, please!"

"No, Anna. I can't have you distracting me."

"I'll distract you more if you don't open the door now. I'll stay out here and make noise until you can't take it anymore!"

"Go ahead and try."

Not ten minutes later, I've already grown sick of her pounding at the door, breaking into song every so often, and making voices that taunt me. Letting out a heavy sigh, my patience is shot.

"Anna," I ask, "do I need to call a guard to escort you back to your room?"

She laughs. "You can't reach a guard, because you're stuck in your own room!"

"Do you honestly believe," I bluff, "that I can't summon a guard from my own room?" Making a mental note, I realize that I'm going to need to come up with a method to do for protection purposes and to remove stubborn little sisters.

"Even if you could, why would you want to?" Anna asks, pounding a fist again at the door. "Elsa, why do you keep doing this? Why do you have to shut me out?"

"I already told you, Anna," I try to pacify her. "I need to focus on everything that it takes for me to become queen. It's not easy to learn every little detail." It's true; there are many things that Anna and I never dreamed of learning about when it comes to being a queen.

But before I can begin to reiterate or go over any of it, Anna cries out, "I didn't cause them to die!" After that, she begins to sob.

And I freeze up, unfortunately not literally. This has to be her best weapon yet, really. Right now, I really want to rip the door open and hug her, comfort her.

But it's too dangerous. I'm too dangerous. And I can feel my bed grow cold as I look down and see the purple blankets cover with white frost.

"I know you didn't, Anna," I reason, trying to soothe her from the inside of my room. "Neither of us did, and we couldn't have anticipated it. Sometimes, life is just cruel and wants us to adapt in ways that we could never have expected."

She takes in a heavy breath between her tears and I rise up to go to the door, but slip on the ice coated floor. I can't. I'm not in control.

"Anna, that's why I'm trying to do this," I continue. "I need to be able to fill in for them. Mother and Father would have wanted one of us to rule in their stead. That's why I'm taking this so seriously and why I need to be alone so often; I want to make them proud, to give Arendelle a strong and smart ruler." I pause, to listen for her. When I hear nothing, I add, "I want to keep this kingdom safe and confident in us." These are only half truths from the real reason I want to keep her away, but I'm hoping that it's enough.

She takes in a breath, lets out a soft, "Ok," and walks away. If I didn't already feel like a terrible sister and fill me with self-loathing, this would definitely define it for me.

Tossing off my frost covered blankets, I stop and break down crying. Why was my family cursed like this?

* * *

Author: Oh, Anna. If only there was someone out there who loved you. (I'm sorry, but I could not resist.)

So, this chapter was made based on personal experiences of trying to avoid family members. I don't know about you, but if I ever do it, I usually mess up the avoidance bit as soon as I get hungry. Considering how impossible it is for me to go more than 2 days without running into a family member that I'm trying to stay away from, I figured that Elsa wouldn't fair that much better in the long run.  
(Considering that she lasts 6 months, she did better than me. Granted though, she does live in a castle...and can run outside and traverse a fjord whenever she really wants to get away from Anna...ok, different situations entirely, but I tried.)

Truly, I really did want a scene where Anna and Elsa meet up and go over their parents' deaths. I figured that one of them might be shouldering the burden (Elsa), while the other would believe that they are being blamed (Anna). It's not a major focus, but it feels right to put it in there. Also, I really wanted a moment where someone tries to talk with food in their mouth and I knew Anna would be the perfect fit. Also, I keep trying to toss Kai and Gerda into the story because I feel like if they're important enough to officially be named, then they're important enough to have some background as well, or at least share Anna and Elsa's back stories.

We'll leave it here for now, but next time, we'll see where Anna goes from here, now that she's learning that Elsa doesn't hate her for the wrong reasons. (Yet, she doesn't quite realize that her sister doesn't hate her at all.) Can she really live like this for 3 years? Spoilers: she does it anyway. If you'd like, please leave me a comment or message on the story. Any kinds of comments and criticisms are welcome, as always! Thank you again for reading and I hope you continue to follow as it as I continue to write!


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